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Doctor insights on:
Cancer Pain

1

Nerve involvement:
Tumor tissues invade surrounding normal tissues, including nerves and that can cause pain. Tumor infiltrating the bone causes weakness and overt or micro fractures that are painful. Inflammation often accompanies cancerous tissues and may contribute to the pain.
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Cancer is a group of diseases that is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth leading to invasion of surrounding tissues that spread to other parts of the body. Cancer can begin anywhere in the body and is usually related to one or more genetic mutations that allow normal cells to become malignant by interfering with internal cellular control mechanisms, such as programmed cell death or by preventing repair of DNA damage.
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2

Yes:
Most cancers of the breast don't cause pain but some do, so what you describe could be almost anything. At your age is not likely to be cancer but if it bothers you enough to ask, why don't you have it checked by your doc? Hopefully it will take a weight out of your mind.
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5

Best is:
To discuss with your oncologist regarding any known side effects of the chemo drugs being used. Pain could be related to your prior colon surgery also so a meeting with the surgeon would be reasonable as well. With no more information it is difficult to give you any more detailed answer.
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6

Cancer pain:
Managing cancer pain depends on what is causing the pain. In general patients will be given oral pain meds that are used every 4to6 hours, this is followed by meds given every 12hours. If this doesn't work patches can sometimes help, pumps can be used to deliver meds iv, occassionally an injection may be the best tool. Radiation is a great tool to manage cance pain as well.
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UTI:
Although statistically, hematuria in this setting is most likely due to cystitis/uti, I would still recommend cystoscopy and upper tract imaging to rule out other more serious causes especially if there is not a strongly positive urinerr culture.
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10

Cold Sores:
Canker sores - or "cold sores"- are caused by latent viruses that activate under periods of sess, infection, or for unknown reasons. There a over-the-counter treatments at purport to help (see, e.g., http://dentistry.About. Com/od/basicdentalcare/f/cankertreatment. Htm). They usually aren't effective that fast, so there is always makeup, if possible. Most men worth dating will look past the surface.
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13

Morphine is:
..A great drug, and it helps many patients deal with pain issues but there are many other drugs and non-pharmaceutical modalities to help cancer patients with pain. It should be an individualized approach. Docs and patients need to work together to find the proper treatment for each patient. It is not ok to live with pain or "suck it up".
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14

Lump:
Big painful lump is not classic for inflammatory breast cancer (ibc). Ibc does typically cause redness, warmth, and swelling but typically without a lump. This doesn't mean it's definitely not cancer, but you are doing the right thing in having it examined/cultured. Best of luck to you.
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18

Nerve involvement:
Tumor tissues invade surrounding normal tissues, including nerves and that can cause pain. Tumor infiltrating the bone causes weakness and overt or micro fractures that are painful. Inflammation often accompanies cancerous tissues and may contribute to the pain.
...Read more

21

Much can be done:
Most cancer pain can be controlled by a palliative medicine or pain specialist. It may take a combination of medications that work in different ways, interventional procedures such as nerve blocks or implantable pain pumps, radiation therapy and other modalities such as massage or acupuncture.
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22

Cancer pain:
Managing cancer pain depends on what is causing the pain. In general patients will be given oral pain meds that are used every 4to6 hours, this is followed by meds given every 12hours. If this doesn't work patches can sometimes help, pumps can be used to deliver meds iv, occassionally an injection may be the best tool. Radiation is a great tool to manage cance pain as well.
...Read more

30

Yes/No:
Pain medicines come in the form of tablets (oral use) or injectables which can be given under the skin (Sub Q) or given IV. Of these chocies SubQ and oral can be easily done at home but IV therapy requires a professional, frequently a Physician, who may be limited in availability, yet it can be arranged. It is all a matter of how best to keep patient comfortable. IV Pain meds can control any pain.
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